Masters Programs

School Counseling (51 credit hours)

Graduates of the School Counseling Program are trained to work in either PreK, elementary, middle or secondary school settings such as: public, nonpublic, vocational technical, and charter schools. This program is endorsed by the Department of Secondary and Elementary Education (DESE) and is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

View School Counseling (5-12) Program of Studies

View School Counseling (PreK-8) Program of Studies

Admission Requirements for School Counseling

  • A minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.8, based on four years, or a 3.0 GPA based on the junior and senior years.
  • A composite score of 900 (192 after 8/1/11)* is preferred on the quantitative and verbal parts of the GRE General Test.  Candidates who already hold a master's degree are not required to take the GRE.
  • Three letters of recommendation from professionals or educators outside of the Department of Counselor Education at Bridgewater State University.
  • A completed Counselor Education specific application, including a five-hundred word personal statement related to your intended counseling program option.
  • Official transcripts of all undergraduate course work.
  • If the candidate already holds a master's degree, a minimum graduate GPA of 3.5 is required.
  • A passing score on the Communication and Literacy portion of the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL).
  • All applicants with a completed application package and who meet the minimum admissions requirements will be required to participate in the on-campus Admissions Day interview process.  The Admissions Day is an opportunity for faculty to assess the applicants potential for employment as a professional counselor.  Admissions Day is held on the third Friday of March and the third Friday of November each year.

Admissions Criteria Process

Phase One: Screening Process of Academic Criteria for M.Ed. Applicants

     1)    "Clear Invitations" to continue to Phase Two: Admissions Day Participation

  •      A minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.8, based on four years or a 3.0 GPA based on the junior and senior years.
  •      900 GRE (192 after 8/1/11)*
  •      If the candidate already holds a master's degree, a minimum graduate GPA of 3.5

     2)    "Conditional Invitations" to continue to Phase Two: Admissions Day Participation

  •     GRE between 700-899 (149-191 after 8/1/11)* AND undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or higher based upon four years.
  •     Undergraduate GPA between 2.50 - 2.79 based upon four years AND GRE of 901 or greater (193 or greater after 8/1/11)*.

*The GRE's are changing their test with an updated/revised version that will launch on August 1, 2011, resulting in the scores to be reported differently than the format that they are currently reported in.  Our admission requirements pertaining to the GRE scores have been adjusted according to the new scale.  This change in score is only for candidates who take the GRE's after August 1, 2011.

Phase Two: Admissions Day Participation

All applicants with a completed application package and who meet the minimum admissions requirements as described above will be required to participate in the on-campus Admissions Day interview process.  The Admissions Day is an opportunity for faculty to assess the applicant's potential for work as a counselor.  Admissions Day is held on the third Friday of March and the third Friday of November each year.

All newly accepted students are required to attend a new student orientation session.  Students who do not attend a session in the semester that they are accepted for admission will have a registration hold put on their account.  Upcoming dates have been scheduled as follows:  Spring 2012 - Thursday, May 10, 2012, and Tuesday, May 15, 2012, both from 5-6:30 p.m.; and Fall 2012 - Tuesday, December 11, 2012, Thursday, December 13, 2012, and Tuesday, January 15, 2013, all from 5-6:30 p.m.

Application Deadlines

Students must submit a completed application with supporting materials by October 1st for the spring semester and February 1st for the summer and fall semesters.

Download Application for Admission (pdf)

For additional information, contact either:

College of Graduate Studies
Maxwell Library
Bridgewater State College
Bridgewater, MA 02325
gradschool@bridgew.edu
(508) 531-1300

Counselor Education
Kelly Gym Room 104
Bridgewater State College
Bridgewater, MA 02325
(508) 531-2836

School Counselor Certification

Course requirements leading to initial licensure and professional licensure by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) as a school counselor at the pre-kindergarten through eighth grade level (PreK-8) or the fifth through twelfth grade level (5-12) are outlined in the sample program descriptions. Licensure by the college will result in interstate reciprocity with signatory states as specified under the Interstate Certification Compact. To discuss the various certification program options, please consult with your advisor.

Professional Links

American Counseling Association http://www.counseling.org

American Psychological Association http://www.apa.org

American School Counselor Association http://www.schoolcounselor.org

Chi Sigma Iota Counseling Academic and Professional Honor Society International http://www.csi-net.org/

Massachusetts Department of Secondary and Elementary Education http://www.doe.mass.edu

Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) http://massteacher.org

National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) http://www.nasponline.org/index2.html

National Board of Certified Counselors http://www.nbcc.org

National Education Association (NEA) http://www.nea.org

U.S. Department of Education http://www.ed.gov

CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs)  http://cacrep.org

Last Modified: December 9, 2011